Louisiana’s Legislative Black Caucus has asked for the removal of Chalmette Representative Ray Garofalo as House Education Chairman over a comment he made about slavery. While discussing his bill to ban “divisive concepts” Garofalo said there were some good components to slavery…
A video of Garofalo making the comment has gone viral.
House Speaker Clay Schexnayder told the Advocate he has not decided on whether Garofalo will be removed as House Education Chairman. The Speaker says he spoke with him and plans to meet with the Black Caucus. Caucus Chairman Ted James says as a chairman of a committee, Garofalo, should be held to a higher standard.
Garofalo says the slavery comment was taken out of context and blames the media of inflammatory reporting.
House Education approves legislation outlawing the use of corporal punishment in Louisiana public schools. Louisiana Association of School Superintendents head Michael Faulk says this decision should be left up to districts and notes the 29 that still allow it must follow certain corporal punishment guidelines.
In the 29 districts that allow corporal punishment parents can opt out of it and chose other punishments instead.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife of Fisheries had to make a difficult decision to put down a black bear after it became a threat to public safety in Port Allen. LDWF Biologist Supervisor Scott Durham says after relocating the bear in the woods over the weekend it returned to the city.
The bear was put down Tuesday night.